


Her Second Chance

by MrRhapsodist



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Comfort, F/F, Massage, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 12:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6753400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrRhapsodist/pseuds/MrRhapsodist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max needs a distraction from schoolwork. When her friend Dana shows up for a heart-to-heart late in the evening, she ends up going further into their relationship than she ever bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Her Second Chance

Max had her nose buried in a textbook, trying to make sense of the end of the chapter in time for the next day’s science lesson. She felt like she understood this side of physics whenever Ms. Grant or Warren explained it, but the moment she laid eyes on her book’s contents, her brain turned to mush. If anything, she felt like she was learning less than more as she read.

She dropped the book onto her desk and rubbed at her eyes. It was late now. Wednesday had come to a close, as a pleasant autumn day turned into a chilly, starry night outside the dorms at Blackwell. And such a night didn’t deserve to be wasted on senior-year science.

Loading up her laptop, Max scrolled through her usual bookmarks on the Web. She couldn’t help but smile when she looked over the designer cameras for sale on Amazon and eBay.

_If only I could afford them,_ she mused. _I’d need to make Victoria my sugar mommy to make that dream happen... no thank you._

Max spent another minute or two bouncing around the Web, reading forums and giving a “Like” to her favorite posts, when her phone buzzed. Grabbing it from the corner of her desk, she saw that she had a new text message.

> **_Dana:_ ** _hey Max!!_
> 
> **_Dana:_ ** _how’s it goin girl?_
> 
> **_Dana:_ ** _you busy?_

A smile came to Max’s face, and she typed in her reply

> **_Max:_ ** _hey Dana_
> 
> **_Max:_ ** _I could use a distraction from studying if you’re offering_
> 
> **_Max:_** ^_^

It had been a while since Max had talked to her friend. Unlike her tea dates with Kate Marsh or her junkyard romps with Chloe, she never had a regular get-together with Dana. The cheerleader was so entrenched in her sports and Vortex Club socials that they usually only saw each other passing in the hallway. Max wanted to be a better friend to Dana, but not in the same way that all the on-campus partygoers wanted to be.

> **_Dana:_ ** _awesome_
> 
> **_Dana:_ ** _my room or yours?_

Max frowned and looked over her refuge from the world. Her room was messy, though nowhere near the war zone that was Chloe’s bedroom. Still, having company over would be a nice change of pace—and a good excuse to clean up for once.

> **_Max:_ ** _how about my place?_
> 
> **_Max:_ ** _gimme a second to tidy up, k?_

She’d barely sent the last text out before Dana’s reply came through.

> **_Dana:_ ** _sure thing!_
> 
> **_Dana:_ ** _brb_ ;)

Max put down her phone and got to work, energized in a way that she hadn’t been all night.

* * *

As soon as she heard the knock at her door, Max straightened and gave her room one last look. Everything she hadn’t found a drawer for, she’d been able to fit into a neat pile that was, hopefully, out of sight. She took a breath and went over to open her door.

Dana smiled at Max, her arms already open for a hug. “Hey, you! Long time no see!”

Max grinned as she accepted her friend’s embrace. “Hey, Dana. Come on in.”

It wasn’t lost on her that Dana wasn’t dressed in her typical trendy attire. She’d still taken the time to do her makeup and put up her ponytail, but the other girl had arrived in gray sweatpants and a white tank top. Max blushed when she realized that she was staring a little too long and ducked her head against her chest.

Dana, of course, hadn’t noticed since she was too busy admiring the collage of photos on Max’s wall. “Wow, this looks great! When did you get to take these in Portland?”

“Um, let’s see.” Max leaned past her and scrutinized the photo in question. “Last August, I think? Chloe and I took a road trip to visit Rachel.”

She didn’t add how much she treasured that picture. It was a beautiful shot, taken during the golden hour for maximum lighting. Max stood in between Chloe and Rachel, her dorky ensemble clashing with Chloe’s punk rock outfit and Rachel’s designer clothing. Rachel had shown up to celebrate her latest gig as a model in LA. Her agency had been only weeks away from booking her a real chance to walk the runway, so she had to live it up with her two “besties” before she flew to the East Coast. With the sunset behind them, the photo was chock full of nostalgia.

“You all look great,” Dana commented. She glanced to the side at Max, a teasing smile on her lips. “And Chloe seems really attached to you.”

Max blushed. “She’s always been like that with me.”

“Maybe it’s something more?”

“Maybe it was once,” Max admitted. Her finger tapped against Rachel’s face. “But then _she_ came along, and they’ve been an item ever since.”

Dana blinked. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope. I swear to Dog.”

“But... wow.” Dana giggled and shook her head. “How on Earth did that escape the Blackwell rumor mill? Rachel’s love life is usually so...” She frowned, searching for the right word.

“Public?” Max offered.

“Yeah, something like that.” Now it was Dana’s turn to look wistful. “I know what _that’s_ like.”

Hearing the sharp drop in her tone made Max wince. She hesitated before lifting her hand to Dana’s arm, giving her bicep a tiny rub. “Is... everything all right, Dana?”

The cheerleader cast her eyes to the floor before she could answer again.

“I wanted this to be a social visit, but...” She swallowed and looked up at Max, her eyes small and thick with emotion. “I needed to talk to someone. To you, specifically.”

Max nodded and waved her to sit on the bed. She joined Dana a second later, scooting up close so that their legs were touching. It wasn’t typical for Max to get so close to someone physically without her anxiety flaring up—provided those people weren’t Chloe or Rachel. But for some reason, she decided to take a chance with Dana, who looked like she needed the comfort.

“Tell me what’s on your mind,” Max prompted. “Or don’t, if you don’t feel up to it.”

“No, I... I do.” Dana wiped at her nose with her fingers, muffling a sudden sniffle. “It’s about what we talked about last week. That whole business with my, um, pregnancy test?”

“Oh.” Max’s eyes landed on her hands, which began to fiddle with the zipper of her hoodie.

“I just wanted to thank you again for talking to me about that,” Dana said. “It’s hard not being able to tell anyone about that. Not even Juliet, and she’s my B.F.F.” She frowned. “Do you think that makes me a bad person?”

“I’m not sure.” When Max saw Dana’s face drop, she quickly added, “But I get why you wouldn’t tell her. Juliet’s first reactions to a problem aren’t always the best ones. And she’s too quick to buy into gossip for her own good.”

“You’re pretty smart, Max.”

Max rubbed at the back of her neck. “I wasn’t that smart when I found your test lying around.”

She still felt guilty, even though Dana had calmed down and apologized for her outburst a few days later. It was then that she’d come to Max, bearing a peace offering of a muffin, and told her the whole sordid story of what had gone down with Logan and their one-night fling. Max had been so touched that she’d hardly said a word. But as it turned out, listening to Dana was what she’d needed to do all along.

“No, that was my fault.” Dana hugged her knees to her chest, letting her head rest on top as she looked over at Max. “I shouldn’t have gotten so mad. I wasn’t in a good place that week.”

“And Juliet had just locked you in your room.”

“True.” Dana’s chuckle sent a flutter through Max’s chest. She hugged herself and tried to smile like it was no big deal.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that, I’m glad to have a friend like you, Max.” Dana smiled at her over the top of her knees, looking ever so playful. “It makes me sad that we never hung out more, you know? Like if we did a sleepover or a movie night.” Her face contorted suddenly. “Maybe then I wouldn’t be at so many parties.”

“Hey, come on.” Max nudged her with her shoulder. “You _love_ parties. I’ve never seen you happier than when you’re dancing.”

“I love dancing, sure.” Dana shrugged. “But I’ve kinda lost my taste for Blackwell parties, you know? That scene’s a little too crazy for me these days.”

Max nodded. After hearing a few horror stories from Rachel, she knew all too well what kind of antics the Vortex Club could spring on its own kind. Still, she opted to lean closer to Dana. “Then maybe take a week off. Enjoy being a recluse for a change.”

Dana’s smile turned a shade mysterious. “Do you, though?”

“Um... sometimes?” Max blushed and averted her eyes. “I mean, I like hanging out with Chloe sometimes, but even I need some time to myself. Like curling up with a good book.”

“See, I’m jealous. I _wish_ I could just chill with you.”

Max grinned. “In case you haven’t noticed, you totally are right now.”

It took Dana a moment to register the meaning of those words. Then she snapped her head up and looked at Max in wonder. “Well, whaddaya know? You’re so right, Max! Forget all those drama queens. I need to do this more often!”

“I’m glad to hear that. And you know, if you ever need a safe place to chill”—Max waved her hand to encompass the tiny dorm room—”my door’s always open.”

“Max, you’re too sweet for me. Thank you.” Dana unfolded her long enough to reach out and wrap her arms around Max’s shoulders, pulling her in close. “And just so you know, that offer goes both ways. You can crash at my room anytime.”

“Thanks. Now I need an excuse to do just that.”

Dana’s arms tightened around her, even as she leaned back to look Max in the eye. “You know, I do see how stressed out you get. If you ever want to vent or dance it off, you totally can at my place.”

Max couldn’t keep her face composed with that kind of an offer. “I’m not much of a dancer, but thanks.”

“Well, at least a massage or something? Besides...” Dana’s voice trailed off as her own cheeks flushed. “I feel like I owe you big-time for keeping my secret.”

“Dana, seriously, you don’t owe me a thing. And I’m just not used to being that physical with others.”

“Not even with Chloe?”

“Um, not really...”

“Well, let’s fix that.” Dana scooted away and patted the bed beside her.

Max bit on her bottom lip, worried she might draw blood if she kept at it. “Y-you’re sure?”

“Max, it’s only a massage. I give them out to Juliet and Hayden all the time.” Dana put her hand on Max’s arm and stroked it. “And you look like you could use it.”

That might have been true, but Max doubted that the spike of apprehension in her veins wasn’t going to go away because of this new level of intimacy. Still, when she noted the hopeful smile on Dana’s face, she found it hard to say no.

“Yeah, okay. Why not?” Max shrugged off her hoodie and let it fall onto the floor. She kicked off her shoes as well while Dana got off the bed. The cheerleader flexed her hands out, locking her fingers together as she warmed them up.

Max couldn’t help but feel vulnerable, lying down on her stomach on the bed. It helped a little when Dana slid a pillow under her head, but that knot in her stomach only grew stronger when the other girl leaned over her. Her hands rested on Max’s shoulders, fingers digging into her shirt and tracing tiny circles. Her whole body went stiff, but the moment passed, and Max found herself suddenly awash in a magical sensation.

She pressed her face into the pillow to stifle a sudden moan, which came out as, “Mmph!”

“I knew you’d like it,” Dana teased. Heavenly fingers continued to stroke and rub their way across Max’s back, pulling and pressing at the many stress points collected there. Max couldn’t help but curl her fingers and toes in anticipation.

The pleasure that washed over her was like her childhood memories with Chloe, or drinking tea with Kate. No words could describe the magic that Max felt when Dana did her work. And as the massage went on, Max began to understand Dana a little more. She pictured Dana being this way around Juliet or any of the other kids from the Vortex Club, so generous and upbeat all the time. Except Max wasn’t cool like them.

So why did she deserve this special treatment?

* * *

Minutes later, Max had rolled over onto her back and grinned up at the ceiling. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this great. Her whole back was tingling and sinking into her bedspread.

Dana, meanwhile, had slipped herself against Max’s side. At a glance from her friend, she’d giggled and said, “Relax, I do this a lot, too. Every good massage deserves a cuddle, you know.”

Max wasn’t about to refuse one, not when Dana looked so happy. She nestled her head against the taller girl’s shoulder, enjoying the proximity. It would have never crossed her mind that the night could go this way, but it was miles beyond trying to cram in a science lesson that she had no hope of understanding before class the next morning.

“Mmm.” Dana’s voice was warm in her ear. “Max, if you don’t mind, I might keep coming over and doing this every weekend. It sure beats the hangover from partying too hard.”

“Okay, but if Chloe or Kate wants to borrow me for a night out, you’ll have to give them a good massage, too.”

“Deal!” Dana giggled and buried her face into the pillow behind Max’s head.

It wasn’t lost on Max how much her friend was clinging onto her. Something had been on her mind the entire night, and while they’d discussed a lot of issues at length, Max couldn’t help but wonder if there was another matter that they hadn’t touched yet.

Come to think of it, touching and being touched seemed meaningful to Dana. Especially on this night.

“Dana?” Max shifted onto her side so that she could look into the girl’s eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Max.”

She swallowed. “Are you lonely?”

Dana didn’t answer right away. A shadow crossed her face, only to be replaced with a cheery smile that came a little too fast to be real. “That’s a silly question. Of course not—”

“No, what I mean is...” Max propped herself up on one elbow, getting a better angle to speak. “I’m glad you wanted to spend time with me tonight. But the way you’ve been talking makes me wonder if you wanted more than just to talk, you know? I mean, you could’ve gone to Juliet or Kate or—”

“Or Victoria?” Dana’s voice was light, but her face wasn’t. Her eyes bore into Max with a sudden intensity. “Max, if you’re trying to kick me out, you can just say so.”

Max felt a sting between her eyes. She ducked her eyes, suddenly fighting tears. “No, Dana. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You don’t... you don’t deserve that...”

Her voice cracked on _that,_ and Max couldn’t bear it any longer. She buried her face against Dana’s chest, half-expecting her to push away, to get up and leave now that the magic between them was gone forever.

But that moment didn’t come.

Instead, Dana brushed her fingers through Max’s hair. She sighed and snuggled closer.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry, too,” Dana whispered. “I didn’t mean to get upset. You just caught me off-guard, that’s all. I swear I’m not mad.”

Max nodded, but she couldn’t trust herself to speak. And she hated the fact that her tears had stained into Dana’s t-shirt. No doubt it was expensive like half of her wardrobe.

She gasped when Dana lifted up her chin with two fingers. Max blinked away more tears as Dana stared into her eyes. Then she smiled and reached those fingers up to brush away the wet trails running down Max’s cheeks, using the same gentle pressure from her massage technique. It had the same effect on Max, forcing to breathe deeper and calm down.

“To answer your question,” Dana continued, “yes. I do get lonely.” She lifted a hand to tug at her ponytail away from her ear and let it fall behind her head again. “I have fun at all the parties and drinking at all the post-game firepits, but it’s not enough, you know? I can’t chill with anyone like how I do with you.”

“But that’s just it, Dana. Maybe you can do both. Have fun at parties and just...” Max swallowed, suddenly too timid to finish that sentence. She knew what she was implying if she did.

Dana, however, caught her train of thought. Her eyes sparkled. “And just be with you? I’d like that, Max. I’d like that a lot.”

Now their faces were closer than ever. Max could almost brush the tip of her nose against Dana’s if she weren’t careful. She could hear how shallow Dana was breathing, and it made her heart race a marathon against the inside of her chest.

Max leaned forward. Her eyes fell half-shut, and she let her lips go where they willed.

Dana met her halfway. Her arms tightened around Max’s waist, pulling her close as their mouths met in a gentle murmur of shared passion. Max had to struggle to remember what to do next. She let her lips part and let her tongue slide out a little. Dana squealed into her mouth and responded in turn. They seemed to share a single breath between them, intense and never-ending.

When she broke the kiss, Dana giggled. She didn’t let Max catch her breath, leaving a trail of tiny kisses around her lips, then her chin, and finally along the side of her neck. Max shuddered against her, unable to do anything but hold on tight.

“God, you’re pretty,” Dana whispered. When she came back up, her eyes were warm. Her whole face glowed. “Anyone ever tell you you’re as cute as a button?”

Max blushed. “Just my Mom.”

“Well, she’s a smart lady, then.” Dana added another kiss to the tip of Max’s nose.

“Dana, you’re gorgeous. I-I’m not even in the same league as you.” Max’s hand traced its way on the side of the other girl’s face, stroking a path over refined cheekbones tinged with blush. “I’m lucky to have ever gotten to know you.”

“Me, too.” Dana’s smile turned mischievous. “I guess this makes us more than friends, though.”

“Definitely.” Max decided to throw caution to the wind and go for another kiss. She couldn’t match Dana’s raw enthusiasm, but she offered a quick smooch that she felt was sincere.

As they pulled back from the kiss, Dana yawned into the palm of her hand. She laughed and pulled Max over, laying her head against her breast and stroking her hair again. Max didn’t want to leave that embrace, but she could tell how exhausted Dana was. And after that amazing massage, she was pretty sleepy herself.

Dana must’ve been reading Max’s thoughts. When she lifted her head, her gaze searched her friend’s face. “Can I spend the night? Or would that be going too fast for you?”

Max took a moment to decide. But honestly, her body had already done that for her. She could hardly move a muscle. Fighting back a yawn, she nodded and rolled onto her back. “No, you can stay. Would you mind hitting the lights for me?”

“You got it.” Dana bounded to her feet, suddenly perky as if she were out with the cheer squad on a Friday night game. Max watched her turn off the lights, then move over to the desk to switch off the lamp she had there.

Then Max decided to slide off her jeans and her socks. She would’ve changed into her usual pajamas, but she felt justified in being a little lazy. In any case, Dana seemed content to slide under the covers next to Max, still wearing her tank top and sweatpants. She did, however, reach back and undo the ponytail. Dana’s hair fell over her shoulders in a glorious auburn spill that made Max’s heart skip a beat.

“Are you cozy?” Max asked, barely hearing her own voice.

Dana smiled at her through the shadows. “Very cozy.” She slid her arms around Max and cradled her against her chest, much like a mother with her newborn. Max felt herself drifting off to sleep, she was so secure.

But then a kiss grazed her forehead and she heard Dana whisper, “Sweet dreams, Max.”

“Good night, Dana,” she answered.

Her last thought, just before she drifted off, was to be thankful she’d replied to that first text.


End file.
